University of Maine
Columbia
Men's Basketball Has Four-Game Win Streak Snapped in Heartbreaker
12/30/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
ORONO, Maine--The University of Maine men's basketball team had its four-game win streak snapped in heartbreaking fashion, falling 74-71 against Columbia on Thursday night at the Alfond Arena. Maine is now 6-6 on the year while Columbia goes to 7-4. Maine was led by America East Player of the Game Troy Barnies (Auburn, Maine) who had a career- and game-high 25 points to go with 11 rebounds.
The Black Bears were down by 63-46 with 7:26 left in the game, but mounted a furious comeback by going on a 25-to-nine run over the next seven minutes courtesy of 11 Barnies points to make it 72-71 Columbia with 34 seconds left.
The Lions converted a free throw and Maine had a chance to tie, but had the ball go in and out of the rim and the Lions were able to make a free throw. Barnies' half-court shot at the buzzer looked good, but just rimmed out.
Columbia took a 35-28 lead into halftime as the Lions shot 45 percent from deep in the first stanza. Maine was led by Barnies' nine points in the first half while Alasdair Fraser (Falkirk, Scotland) added five points and five rebounds.
The Black Bears would get the lead down to 37-36 just over two minutes into the second half, before Columbia would go on a run to get the lead to 17 and set up the Black Bears' comeback.
Raheem Singleton (Boston, Mass.) added 11 points and four assists while Andrew Rogers (Philadelphia, Pa.) notched seven assists. Fraser ended up with eight points, seven rebounds and a block. Murphy Burnatowski (Waterloo, Ontario) added nine points, four rebounds and three assists.
Maine shot 46.2 percent from the field while Columbia shot 48.1 percent. The Black Bears went 4-for-15 from long range while the Lions went 7-for-15. Each team grabbed 34 rebounds.
The Black Bears return to the Alfond Arena on Sunday when they host Boston University at 1 p.m.
